Loving Sparrows: To the End and Back (Book Three)

Chapter Ten: Preparing for Battle

Chapter Ten: Preparing For Battle

Maria's POV:

By morning we sailed to the outside of the cove and waited. I sat on the shrouds. Suddenly we saw a ship come into view. "The enemy is here lets take 'em!" Marty shouted. Shouts went up and then died when a whole armada came into view. We all looked to Jack. "Parley," He said. I rolled my eyes. I watched Jack row with Elizabeth and Barbossa to a small sand bank were they would negotiate with Jones, Beckett, and Will. I felt concerned at what would happen. After rather quickly cleaning the guns and sharpening swords. Tia Dalma was tied very tightly with many ropes to hold her back. When they returned Jack was gone, and Will was with them. It was very predictable that Elizabeth would do that.

I heard Will and Elizabeth arguing about not releasing Calypso. Barbossa wasn't listening. "Now someone must speak the words 'Calypso I release you from you human bonds'," Barbossa said. "Is that it?" Pintel asked. "They said it must be spoken as if to a lover," Barbossa said. I rolled my eyes. "Calypso I release you from your human bonds!" Barbossa shouted. He lit the bowl of pieces of eight. Nothing happened. "No, no you didn't say it right," Ragetti said. We looked at him strange. "You have to say it right," He repeated. He then whispered the words to her. I jumped as the bowl caught fire, and she began to inhale the smoke. "Tia Dalma!" Will said lunging forward, "Calypso." She looked at him and the bowl that was floating in mid air dropped. "When the first brethren court imprisoned you who was the one that told them how?" Will asked, "Who was it that betrayed you?"

"Name 'im," She said.

"Davy Jones" He said.

She looked about to cry. Suddenly she began to grow in size, writhing in agony of a broken heart. We all began to back away. Lintel kept shouting, "THIS IS IT! THIS IS IT!" She suddenly stopped growing when she was the size of the mast. "Calypso," Barbossa said kneeling. We all followed his example. "I come before you as but a servant humble and contrite. I have fulfilled me vow and now ask your favor. Spare me self, me ship, me crew, but unleash your fury upon those who pretend themselves your master....or mine," Barbossa shouted. She looked calm at first. We all backed off even more when she became angry. Calypso said something. We couldn't understand a word she was saying, but she wasn't happy. She broke free of the ropes transfroming herself into thousands of crabs.

The flood of crabs wiped over the whole crew. I myself covered my face and hit the deck. I felt snips and cut go along my bare skin that wasn't covered by cloth. Eventually it was all over, and I stood up. The leather strap that held my hair had been cut off. Pintel had a crab stuck to his nose, and Ragetti had one in his pants. "Is that it?" I asked. We went to the rail. "Why she's not help a' all," Pintel said looking at the water, "What now?"

"Nothin. Our final hope has left us," Barbossa said. A wind began to pick up.

"It's not over," I said.

"There's still a fight to be had," Will said.

"We have a armada against us. And with the Dutchman there's no chance," Gibbs said.

"Only a fool's chance," Elizabeth said.

"Revenge won't bring your father back, Miss Swann, and it's not something I'm intending to die for," Barbossa said.

"Your right, then what shall we die for?" She said.

"You will listen to me. Listen!" She shouted jumping on the rail, "The Brethren will be looking to us, to the Black Pearl to lead. And what will they see? Frightened bilge rats upon a derelict ship, no. they will see free men and freedom! What the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons! They will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! Gentlemen...hoist the colours."

"Hoist the colours," I said.

"Aye the winds on our side boys that's all we need!" Gibbs shouted. Cheers roared throughout the shops as flags were raised. I went to the helm with Barbossa, Will, and Elizabeth. All around us the brethren hoisted their colours. Suddenly there was a roar of thunder, and we knew that the battle had begun.